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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources finalized a land acquisition this spring, adding roughly 100 acres to Devil’s Lake State Park. 

Thanks to a 2025 purchase by The Conservation Fund and subsequent purchase by the DNR through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, the land will now be permanently protected from future development. 

Devil’s Lake is the largest and most visited state park in Wisconsin. Well-known for its 500-foot quartzite bluffs, 360-acre lake, and ample recreational activities, the Sauk County park saw an impressive 2.3 million visitors in 2025 alone. 

The 100 acres acquired expands the Devil’s Lake northeast recreational area. Prior to being purchased, it was one of the largest privately owned areas within the park. 

Andrew Hanson III, a partnerships liaison for Wisconsin State Parks, said the DNR had been hoping to buy the property since 1971. 

“That doesn’t mean the DNR is actively sending letters or making phone calls to the landowner,” he said. “The DNR only acquires land from willing sellers.”

The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit that buys at-risk land with high conservation value, initially purchased the land in 2025. After that, the DNR began its own purchase process to obtain final ownership, which Hanson said took around eight months. The wait, however, was well worth it.

“There is a U-shaped terminal moraine that’s on the property, which is really unique in the United States, if not North America and even the world,” Hanson said. “But also, the property has oak woods, maple woods, old fallow fields, rock outcrops and most notably some very long vistas by Wisconsin standards.”

Hanson said the property also features several bedrock glades, a relatively rare ecological community that occurs in areas with exposed, or thinly soil-covered, bedrock.  

Unique features like this underscore why long-term protection of this parcel was so important, and it was the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program that made the DNR’s final acquisition possible. The program, created specifically to fund recreational development and conservation land purchases statewide, has been around since 1989. As of this spring, however, its future is uncertain.

Financing for the program typically gets renewed by the Wisconsin Legislature followed by an approval from the governor. Unfortunately, that renewal did not happen this past year and as a result, the program’s funding is set to expire next month. This means that for the time being, even if there were opportunities for further conservation acquisitions by the state, there would likely not be enough money to complete them. 

What can visitors expect?

The latest addition to Devil’s Lake is still something to celebrate. The parcel holds the potential for new trails to be constructed and eventually, maybe even an Ice Age Trail segment. 

For now, however, Devil’s Lake, along with many other parks in central Wisconsin, is still in the midst of creating the Central Sandhills Regional Master Plan. 

“Until that plan is complete, we can’t construct any new trails at the property,” Hanson said. The latest estimate for the plan to be finalized is summer of 2027. 

The newly acquired land is currently open to the public for walking, but visitors looking to explore should be certain they know how to navigate with either a GPS, handheld map or compass.

Summer is the busiest time of the year at Devil’s Lake. James Carter, superintendent for the DNR’s Bureau of Parks and Recreation said that visitors can expect crowds.

“We’re expecting a busy season as always,” he said. “Parking is always in high demand, so we just ask that everyone abide by the rules, keep their vehicle limited to a parking stall, and make sure that they get their camping reservations early.”

In addition to more general recreation, Devil’s Lake hosts a plethora of scheduled summer programming, from guided nature walks to art workshops. Carter also recommended staying up to date with the Friends of Devil’s Lake State Park nonprofit, who hosts their own events like the Big Band at the Lake concerts on summer Saturday evenings. 

“We’re looking forward to a safe and enjoyable recreation season ahead,” he said.

A comprehensive list of all upcoming events at Devil’s Lake State Park can be found at devilslakewisconsin.com/park-events.